Ex-Islander great Morrow makes impression on Sound Tigers

Michael Fornabaio

Updated 10:55 pm, Saturday, December 8, 2012

BRIDGEPORT -- The Miracle on Ice happened 10 years before they were born, Aaron Ness in Minnesota and Matt Donovan in Oklahoma. The New York Islanders' four Stanley Cups were only a little more recent.

"You look at a guy like that, his career's off the chart," Ness said. "Any time you get a guy like that in the dressing room with you ... you're all ears."

Morrow, the Islanders' director of pro scouting, has been around the team since last weekend, getting a look at his own team's prospects during the NHL lockout after traveling as widely as usual through the first two months of the hockey season.

He was on the ice with them Thursday for practice at the Wonderland of Ice.

And as the team struggled through a winless streak, he tried to help the defense get back to basics. If it's as simple as getting a stick on the ice to block a passing lane, Morrow's an extra voice to support the coaching staff.

"I don't get to do it very often," Morrow said, "but to be able to come in here, get to see our team play, see five or six games this week, it's a treat for me."

With the NHL dark, Islanders brass has been in town more often for games, and Bridgeport has had an extra staffer on the ice most days for practice.

Thompson and Islanders coach Jack Capuano have both joined Bridgeport coach Scott Pellerin and assistant Eric Boguniecki behind the bench for a game this year. Morrow has done the same in the past as have other player-development staffers.

"It's been good organizational involvement," Pellerin said. "I just wish we could get some reward for all the hard work."

After the team went without a win for the seventh game in a row Wednesday in Hartford, Pellerin said, the staff stayed late at Webster Bank Arena to watch video and get a handle on things they could clean up. Having Morrow there was "a luxury." The next morning, Morrow met with Bridgeport's defense.

"We all kind of sat down for a defensive meeting," Donovan said. "We went over some things we needed to work on, simple things. I think it really helped."

The movie "Miracle" helped bring the 1980 Olympics to life for Donovan. Getting to pick the brain of one of those American sporting heroes?

"It's awesome," Donovan said. "Knowing what he's accomplished, what he's been through in his life, it's awesome to be around someone like that."